Exploring the atmosphere of GJ 1132 b with CRIRES+

enric_figure1

Detection significance map from the two transits observations (left panel), showing no detections. The right panel is the expected detection significance map from our injection test, which assumes an H2 dominated atmosphere with CH4 and HCN.

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Authors
F. Yan
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
G. Morello
Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía
et al.
References
A&A, 697, A31 (2025)

The rocky planet GJ 1132 b, with Earth-like mass and radius, is a prime candidate for atmospheric studies. Previous observations with Hubble and JWST yielded conflicting results about its atmosphere. This study used three transit observations with the CRIRES+ instrument to search for He i, HCN, CH₄, and H₂O in GJ 1132 b's atmosphere. No clear atmospheric signals were detected, but upper limits for CH₄, HCN, and H₂O were established. The results suggest that if GJ 1132 b has an atmosphere, it is not dominated by hydrogen. The work highlights the challenges of detecting high molecular weight atmospheres in small exoplanets and emphasizes the need for future instruments like those on extremely large telescopes.  
 

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Research news
Astrophysics
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Exoplanetary Systems & Solar System (SEYSS)

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